1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a pilot program for  evidence-based literacy 
1.3 	instruction; establishing grants for out-of-school literacy programs; requiring 
1.4 	reports; appropriating money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME LITERACY INSTRUCTION.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. A three-year pilot program is established to provide 
1.8 	evidence-based literacy instruction in out-of-school programs through nonprofit community 
1.9 	organizations and public libraries across the state.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Grant eligibility. A nonprofit community organization or public library that 
1.11 	provides after-school or out-of-school time programming to school-aged children may apply, 
1.12 	in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner of education, for a grant to provide 
1.13 	evidence-based literacy instruction. Recipients may use grant funds to establish new 
1.14 	evidence-based literacy instruction programming, to expand current evidence-based literacy 
1.15 	instruction programming, and to ensure program staff obtain the knowledge and skills 
1.16 	necessary to provide evidence-based literacy instruction to school-aged children. The 
1.17 	commissioner must award up to 50 percent of the grant funds to nonprofit community 
1.18 	organizations or public libraries located in the city of Minneapolis and the remaining grant 
1.19 	funds must be awarded to eligible grant recipients in greater Minnesota.
1.20 		Subd. 3.Report; evaluation. A grant recipient must report to the Department of 
1.21 	Education by December 15, 2025, and August 15, 2027, on the progress of their activities. 
1.22 	The report must include but is not limited to the number of children served by each program, 
1.23 	specific details of the evidence-based literacy programming, and the training provided to 
2.1 	program staff. The commissioner of education must evaluate the participating programs to 
2.2 	determine the effect of the evidence-based literacy instruction provided under the pilot 
2.3 	program on student achievement and provide recommendations to the participating programs 
2.4 	for continuous improvement. The commissioner must report to the chairs and ranking 
2.5 	minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over kindergarten 
2.6 	through grade 12 education by February 2, 2026, and January 15, 2027, summarizing the 
2.7 	information reported by the grant recipients and the department's evaluation findings. The 
2.8 	final report must include recommendations for expanding the grant program statewide, 
2.9 	budget recommendations for expanding the program, any necessary modifications to the 
2.10 	program, and any recommended legislation.

2.11 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.12 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sum indicated in this section is 
2.13 	appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year 
2.14 	designated.
2.15 		Subd. 2.Out-of-school time literacy grants. (a) For grants to public libraries and 
2.16 	nonprofit community organizations to provide evidence-based literacy instruction to 
2.17 	school-aged children:

2.18		$
	20,000,000
	.....
	2025
	
2.19 	(b) This is a onetime appropriation.
2.20 	(c) This appropriation is available until June 30, 2027.